NEW SETBACK FOR JESUS PEOPLE

Source : 02/10/1986 Northampton Post

The controversial Jesus People face yet another setback this week with the threat of expulsion from two major Baptist organisations.

The national Baptists Union and the Northants' Baptist Association say they are both 'very concerned' about the Bugbrooke-based Jesus Fellowship's activities and may follow the Evangelical Alliance's example in asking the sect to leave their organisation.

President of the Baptists Association the Rev Gordon Giller said they wouldn't want the Jesus People as members while they didn't accept the rules.

'Their membership has lapsed and we assume they no longer wish to be members. But we are concerned about the Jesus Fellowship and have been for a long time. We don't see them as a true Baptist church,' he said.

'The Baptist church as we see it is a locally-based church for locals but the Jesus Fellowship are all over the place and it is with a certain amount of sadness that we have had to say to them that they are no longer members,' added the Rev Giller.

The final decision on the Jesus People's membership of the county association will be made next may.

The Baptist Union's General Secretary confirmed this week that the Jesus People's membership to their organisation will be reviewed next month (Nov).

The Rev Bernard Green told the post: 'The Baptist Union is deeply concerned about all the issues that have come to light concerning Bugbrooke.'

'Their membership of out union has been nominal for many years and will be reviewed at the Council's meeting in London in November,' added Mr Green.

To add to their troubles MP Michael Morris is still pushing for a Government inquiry into the cult and the deaths of four people.

An inquest into the death of member Mohammed Majiid who drowned in an underground water tank at the Fellowship's New Creation farm in Nether Heyford earlier this year was due to be heard yesterday (Wednesday).